What new Warriors executive can do to help build acceptance in sports

The Golden State Warriors this week  introduced their new president and chief operating officer: Rick Welts, who came out publicly as gay in May while he was the chief executive with the Phoenix Suns.

Fear of job loss and the fear of never being able to land another job once their secret is out of the closet holds back many LGBT individuals at all levels in the sports world. Welts' hiring by the Warriors is perhaps even more historic and significant than his original coming out because it is the first time a top-tier executive who is already out has been hired by a men's pro sports franchise.

What difference can Welts make in the culture of acceptance in the NBA? An editorial in the Bay Area Reporter opines:

There are several things Welts can do to help professional sports, particularly basketball, break down barriers regarding gay issues. Whether it be players tweeting homophobic slurs or athletes making anti-gay taunts on the field, such incidents are all too common in today's hyper media environment. Athletes, many of whom earn several million dollars a season, seem to believe they are entitled to bash gays. The whole culture of professional sports is ripe for an intervention, and Welts can certainly do his part for the NBA. Having an openly gay man at the top of an organization is the most visible aspect.

But at the press conference, Welts said that he didn't think he needed to specifically address his sexuality with the team. "I don't think there's much mystery about it," he said. "The front page of the New York Times is a pretty good place to publicize it." We would urge him to reconsider that stance. At the same time, he also said that he believes a culture of silence permeates sports. What better way to break that silence than to talk with the team? Some players (and coaches and other personnel) may have questions or may just want to ask Welts what it's like to be out in pro basketball. He said that by his being out he hoped to "elevate the quantity and quality of discussion." That would seem to indicate that a conversation with the team is warranted.

He also didn't say anything about adopting a zero tolerance policy for homophobic slurs in practices and in the locker room – areas that are often away from the glare of the media and the places that such comments are most often made without thought. That, too, is an area that Welts should address.